 Although committed to his career as a math teacher, Henri Gillain followed with interest the early developments of comic strips in Belgium, and the artistic evolution of his brother, Jijé, eventually considered by many the second pioneer of Belgian comics after Hergé.In the late 40s he turned contributor when he submitted a script to André Franquin, his brother's protégé, in the shape of a thick notebook which contained the ideas that would result in "Spirou" magazine serialised story, "Il y a un sorcier à Champignac", and serve as a platform for the entire series "Spirou et Fantasio".Upon publication in 1950, Henri Gillain took the pseudonym Jean Darc, a play on the name Jean d'Arc (Joan of Arc).